The Imp Site

Probe 16

Phillip Karam (Ottawa, Canada) contacted me November 2003, writing that he actually has a Probe 16 which has been his for the last 30 years. He met with Dennis and Peter Adams in 1999, as well as with Colin Feyerabend.

Other Information

One of only two such cars in the world, this pristine, museum-quality Probe 16, designed and built by the Adams Brothers, represents 'An investigation into extremes of styling'.

Dennis (designer) and Peter (engineer) Adams were, prior to Probe 16, well established with respect to 'futuristic' car construction, based on their contributions to the design and racing success of the Marcos car series.

Of the three Probe 16s built, the first was sold to famous American songwriter Jim Webb and is believed to have been burnt quite early. The second Probe 16 (AB/3) was completed in 1969 and exhibited in the 1969 London Motor Show. With the intention to initiate a British Styling showpiece stand at the '69 Motor Show, the Daily Telegraph Magazine cooperated with the Institute of British Carriage and Automobile Manufacturers to show the Probe 16 on the IBCAM stand – where it obtained a tremendous reception and won the design award as the best British styling exercise.

This second Probe was originally sold to bassist Jack Bruce.

Corky Laing was the second owner of one of the cars. He got it from Bruce for a birthday present. Mr. Laing was and is the drummer for the band 'Mountain', and was in a band called 'West, Bruce and Laing' when the gift was given, hence the link. He wrote a book called 'Stick it', with photos. There is an audio version that just came out on 'Voiceprint', a UK label.
It later became the property of a Canadian collector and car designer Dr. Clyde Kwok until 1983. Since then it has been in the private collection of Phil Karam.

The third (and only other) Probe 16 (AB/4) had been displayed at the 'Pollock Auto Showcase' in USA until returned to the U.K. around 1990, by Colin Feyerabend, where it is undergoing a complete rebuild and restoration. He told Phil in 2001 that his Probe was on a hoist,
improperly, and it broke in half.

The Probe 16 also starred in the film 'A Clockwork Orange', by the late filmmaker Stanley Kubrick.